]]>The White House Just Responded to the Pardon Edward Snowden Petition – Two Years Laterhttp://www.webpronews.com/the-white-house-just-responded-to-the-pardon-edward-snowden-petition-two-years-later-2015-07/
Tue, 28 Jul 2015 17:13:59 +0000http://ren.webpronews.com/?p=435901It only took two years, but the White House has finally gotten around to providing a response to a petition asking for the pardon of NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden. Official answer: nope. "As the President said in announcing recent intelligence ... Read More

]]>It only took two years, but the White House has finally gotten around to providing a response to a petition asking for the pardon of NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.

Official answer: nope.

"As the President said in announcing recent intelligence reforms, 'We have to make some important decisions about how to protect ourselves and sustain our leadership in the world, while upholding the civil liberties and privacy protections that our ideals and our Constitution require.' Instead of constructively addressing these issues, Mr. Snowden's dangerous decision to steal and disclose classified information had severe consequences for the security of our country and the people who work day in and day out to protect it," says Lisa Monaco, President Obama's Advisor on Homeland Security and Counterterrorism.

"If he felt his actions were consistent with civil disobedience, then he should do what those who have taken issue with their own government do: Challenge it, speak out, engage in a constructive act of protest, and -- importantly – accept the consequences of his actions. He should come home to the United States, and be judged by a jury of his peers – not hide behind the cover of an authoritarian regime. Right now, he's running away from the consequences of his actions."

The original petition, on the White House' We The People site, was published on June 9th, 2013. Here's what it says:

Edward Snowden is a national hero and should be immediately issued a a full, free, and absolute pardon for any crimes he has committed or may have committed related to blowing the whistle on secret NSA surveillance programs.

The petition has garnered nearly 168,000 signatures, although it's been closed for a while.

"We will do our best to respond to petitions that cross the signature threshold in a timely fashion, however, depending on the topic and the overall volume of petitions from We the People, responses may be delayed," the White House says on the site.

This usually means 60 days from when said petition hits the signature threshold – which is 100,000 in 30 days.

]]>Yes, Your Google Hangouts Can Be Wiretappedhttp://www.webpronews.com/yes-your-google-hangouts-can-be-wiretapped-2015-05/
http://www.webpronews.com/yes-your-google-hangouts-can-be-wiretapped-2015-05/#commentsTue, 12 May 2015 15:16:26 +0000http://ren.webpronews.com/?p=426872Google encrypts your Hangouts conversations, but it doesn't use end-to-end encryption. This means that Google can wiretap your Hangouts at the government's request. That's one big revelation from a recent reddit AMA with Richard Salgado, Google’s director for law enforcement ... Read More

"Hi. Google has repeatedly refused to acknowledge whether or not it is capable of wiretapping Hangouts for government agencies. In contrast, Apple's FaceTime product uses end-to-end encryption and the company says it is not able to wiretap this service. Why has Google refused to be transparent about its ability to provide wiretaps for Hangouts? Given Google's rather impressive track record regarding surveillance transparency, the total secrecy regarding the company's surveillance capabilities for this product is quite unusual."

Google's response (bolding ours)?

"There are legal authorities that allow the government to wiretap communications. Google was the first company to disclose the number of wiretap orders it receives issued in criminal investigations. (There were a total of 7 wiretap orders in the first half of 2014, covering 9 accounts, for example). We also report requests made under national security authorities to the extent we are allowed by law. We want to be able to be much more granular about the number and nature of these demands, and think that’s important for people who use Google, policymakers and the public. Hangouts are encrypted in transit, and we’re continuing to extend and strengthen encryption across more services."

As reddit user reddit_poly put it, "this means that Hangouts are only encrypted on their way between your computer and Google's servers. Once they arrive at Google's end, Google has full access. In short, this is confirmation Google can wiretap Hangouts."

Pro-tip: If you don't want to talk about how you help the government spy on people, maybe not so wise to do a Reddit AMA about surveillance.

We asked Google to clarify, or elaborate, on Monday, and a spokesperson confirmed that Hangouts doesn’t use end-to-end encryption. That makes it technically possible for Google to wiretap conversations at the request of law enforcement agents, even when you turn on the “off the record” feature, which actually only prevents the chat conversations from appearing in your history—it doesn’t provide extra encryption or security.

According to Google's latest Transparency Report, the company received 25 wiretap requests from January 2013 to June 2014. Whether or not those had to do specifically with hangouts was not disclosed.

]]>http://www.webpronews.com/yes-your-google-hangouts-can-be-wiretapped-2015-05/feed/2Skynet Is Real, and the NSA Uses It To Track Locations with Phone Metadatahttp://www.webpronews.com/skynet-is-real-and-the-nsa-uses-it-to-track-locations-with-phone-metadata-2015-05/
http://www.webpronews.com/skynet-is-real-and-the-nsa-uses-it-to-track-locations-with-phone-metadata-2015-05/#commentsFri, 08 May 2015 16:17:01 +0000http://ren.webpronews.com/?p=426494When a spy agency decides to call one of its various tracking programs Skynet, it's just screwing with us, right? A troubling report about a journalist misidentified as a terrorist from The Intercept has revealed that the National Security Agency ... Read More

]]>When a spy agency decides to call one of its various tracking programs Skynet, it's just screwing with us, right?

A troubling report about a journalist misidentified as a terrorist from The Intercept has revealed that the National Security Agency actually has a program called Skynet.

If you've never seen the Terminator movies, here's a crash course. If you have, you understand why this is so morbidly hilarious.

The NSA's Skynet is unlikely to become self-aware and wipe out humanity, but it is tracking people's whereabouts using phone metadata. The reveal was provided by documents from none other than Edward Snowden.

The Intercept calls Skynet "a program that analyzes location and communication data (or “metadata”) from bulk call records in order to detect suspicious patterns ... the NSA uses its version of SKYNET to identify people that it believes move like couriers used by Al Qaeda’s senior leadership."

But Skynet doesn't always get it right, as would be expected. You know who also "moves like couriers"? Journalists reporting on said activity.

From The Intercept:

The briefing singles out Ahmad Muaffaq Zaidan, Al Jazeera’s longtime Islamabad bureau chief, as a member of the terrorist group. A Syrian national, Zaidan has focused his reporting throughout his career on the Taliban and Al Qaeda, and has conducted several high-profile interviews with senior Al Qaeda leaders, including Osama bin Laden.

A slide dated June 2012 from a National Security Agency PowerPoint presentation bears his photo, name, and a terror watch list identification number, and labels him a “member of Al-Qa’ida” as well as the Muslim Brotherhood. It also notes that he “works for Al Jazeera.”

Zaidan has denied being part of Al-Qaeda. He has, however, spent a lot of time in Pakistan and Afghanistan – conducting interviews and such.

Earlier this week, a federal appeals court ruled that the NSA's bulk metadata collection is illegal.

]]>http://www.webpronews.com/skynet-is-real-and-the-nsa-uses-it-to-track-locations-with-phone-metadata-2015-05/feed/1NSA's Bulk Phone Data Collection Illegal, Court Ruleshttp://www.webpronews.com/nsas-bulk-phone-data-collection-illegal-court-rules-2015-05/
http://www.webpronews.com/nsas-bulk-phone-data-collection-illegal-court-rules-2015-05/#commentsThu, 07 May 2015 15:06:49 +0000http://ren.webpronews.com/?p=426373A federal appeals court has ruled that the bulk collections of your phone records is illegal. In a nearly 100-page ruling, the court vacated a lower court's decision and stated that the bulk collection of metadata is not authorized by ... Read More

]]>A federal appeals court has ruled that the bulk collections of your phone records is illegal.

In a nearly 100-page ruling, the court vacated a lower court's decision and stated that the bulk collection of metadata is not authorized by section 215 of The Patriot Act – the section upon which the surveillance programs have been operating for years.

"The district court held that § 215 of the PATRIOT Act impliedly precludes judicial review; that plaintiffs‐appellants’ statutory claims regarding the scope of § 215 would in any event fail on the merits; and that § 215 does not violate the Fourth or First Amendments to the United States Constitution. We disagree in part, and hold that § 215 and the statutory scheme to which it relates do not preclude judicial review, and that the bulk telephone metadata program is not authorized by § 215," said the federal appeals court.

The case was originally filed in 2013 by the ACLU, and subsequently thrown out. This ruling amends that error.

"This appeal concerns the legality of the bulk telephone metadata collection program (the “telephone metadata program”), under which the National Security Agency (“NSA”) collects in bulk “on an ongoing daily basis” the metadata associated with telephone calls made by and to Americans, and aggregates those metadata into a repository or data bank that can later be queried. Appellants challenge the program on statutory and constitutional grounds. Because we find that the program exceeds the scope of what Congress has authorized, we vacate the decision below dismissing the complaint without reaching appellants’ constitutional arguments," said Circuit judge Gerard E. Lynch.

Glenn Greenwald, the journalist who has shepherded NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden's revelations to the public, was pleased with the ruling and suggested that it should make many rethink their views on Snowden.

Maybe someone who reveals a secret program that multiple federal judges say is ILLEGAL is a whistleblower who deserves gratitude-not prison?

]]>On Sunday's Last Week Tonight, HBO's John Oliver took a long, hilarious, but ultimately frightening look into the Patriot Act, government surveillance, and the man who revealed it all a couple summers ago – Edward Snowden.

But the show wasn't your typical show. Oliver actually flew to Russia to conduct an interview with the former NSA contractor.

Oliver offered a brief refresher on exactly what Snowden leaked and why we should all care (even though many of us don't).

"I'm not saying this is an easy conversation," said Oliver, "but we have to have it. I know this is confusing. And unfortunately, the most obvious person to talk to about this is Edward Snowden – but he currently lives in Russia, meaning if you wanted to ask him about any of these issues you'd have to fly all the way there to do it. And it is not a pleasant flight. And the reason I know that is last week I went to Russia to speak to Edward Snowden, and this is what happened.

You should watch the whole segment, but the Snowden interview starts at around the 14-minute mark. Leave it to John Oliver to boil a complicated concept down to your nude cellphone pics – and have it work beautifully as an explainer.

]]>Tech Companies Call for End to Mass Surveillance in Letter to Obama, Congresshttp://www.webpronews.com/tech-companies-call-for-end-to-mass-surveillance-in-letter-to-obama-congress-2015-03/
http://www.webpronews.com/tech-companies-call-for-end-to-mass-surveillance-in-letter-to-obama-congress-2015-03/#commentsThu, 26 Mar 2015 13:38:28 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=421423The group Reform Government Surveillance, which includes Apple, AOL, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Twitter, Yahoo, and more, has joined dozens of other organizations in calling on the US government to reform mass surveillance and end the bulk data collection programs revealed ... Read More

]]>The group Reform Government Surveillance, which includes Apple, AOL, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Twitter, Yahoo, and more, has joined dozens of other organizations in calling on the US government to reform mass surveillance and end the bulk data collection programs revealed over two years ago by Edward Snowden.

Google explains in a blog post that with sections of the Patriot Act concerning bulk metadata collections expiring, now is the time for reform.

"At the end of May, Section 215 of the USA Patriot Act is set to expire. Section 215 is one of the legal authorities relied upon by the U.S. government to conduct surveillance through the bulk collection of communications metadata. Earlier we joined other companies in the Reform Government Surveillance coalition, civil society groups, and trade associations in a letter that underscores the essential elements of any surveillance reform legislation," says Google Chief Legal Officer David Drummond.

In that letter, addressed to President Obama, Eric Holder, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, NSA Director Michael Roger, members of Congress, and more, the coalition admits that its members probably don't agree on the exact course of reform, but two things must happen.

"Many of us have differing views on exactly what reforms must be included in any bill reauthorizing USA PATRIOT Act Section 215, which currently serves as the legal basis for the National Security Agency’s bulk collection of telephone metadata and is set to expire on June 1, 2015. That said, our broad, diverse, and bipartisan coalition believes that the
status quo is untenable and that it is urgent that Congress move forward with reform," it reads.

Here's what the group says must be included in reform:

There must be a clear, strong, and effective end to bulk collection practices under the USA PATRIOT Act, including under the Section 215 records authority and the Section 2 214 authority regarding pen registers and trap & trace devices. Any collection that does occur under those authorities should have appropriate safeguards in place to protect privacy and users’ rights.

The bill must contain transparency and accountability mechanisms for both government and company reporting, as well as an appropriate declassification regime for Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court decisions.

This isn't the first time that this group of companies has pushed for a curbing of mass government surveillance

]]>http://www.webpronews.com/tech-companies-call-for-end-to-mass-surveillance-in-letter-to-obama-congress-2015-03/feed/2The NSA Is Getting Off on Your Sexts, Says Snowdenhttp://www.webpronews.com/the-nsa-is-getting-off-on-your-sexts-says-snowden-2014-07/
http://www.webpronews.com/the-nsa-is-getting-off-on-your-sexts-says-snowden-2014-07/#commentsThu, 17 Jul 2014 19:41:37 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=374748According to NSA leaker and current resident of Russia Edward Snowden, the lovely folks at the NSA are intercepting your naked selfies and passing them around the office like adolescent boys – you know, because of course they are. Snowden ... Read More

]]>According to NSA leaker and current resident of Russia Edward Snowden, the lovely folks at the NSA are intercepting your naked selfies and passing them around the office like adolescent boys – you know, because of course they are.

Snowden recently sat down to talk to The Guardian's Alan Rusbridger in Russia, and a sneak peek of the conversation just went up (the full interview will be released on Friday). In it, Snowden talks about claims that he's a Russian spy, his daily life in the country, and his future. He also dropped this little nugget:

The reality of working in the intelligence community is that you see thing that are deeply troubling – all the time. And it's not just one person, it's many of them.

You've got young enlisted guys, 18 to 22 years old, they've suddenly been thrust into a position of extraordinary responsibility where they now have access to all of your private records. Now, in the course of their daily work, they stumble across something that is completely unrelated to their work in any sort of necessary sense.

For example, an intimate nude photo of someone in a sexually compromising situation but they're extremely attractive. So what do they do? They turn around in their chair and they show their coworker. And their coworker says 'oh hey, that's great – send that to Bill down the way.'

And then Bill sends it to George, and George sends it to Tom, and sooner or later this person's whole life has been seen by all of these other people.

It's never reported, nobody ever knows about it because the auditing of these systems is incredibly weak. The fact that your private images, records of your private life, records of your intimate moments, have been taken from your private communications from the intended recipient and given to the government without any specific authorization, without any specific need, is itself a violation of your rights.

When asked if he saw numerous instances of this, Snowden said that it was "routine enough."

"Depending on the company you keep, it could be more or less frequent. But these are seen as sort of the fringe benefits of these positions."

If you don't believe Snowden, well then you don't believe Snowden. If you do believe him, however, this is both deeply distressing and completely unsurprising.

As for Snowden himself, he says that he's probably going to stay holed up in Russia for the foreseeable future.

"You know, I'm much happier here in Russia than I would be facing an unfair trial in which I can't even present a public interest defense to a jury of my peers. We've asked the government again and again to provide a fair trial and they've declined, and I feel very fortunate to have received asylum."

]]>http://www.webpronews.com/the-nsa-is-getting-off-on-your-sexts-says-snowden-2014-07/feed/3Edward Snowden Story Coming to Silver Screen as Sony Buys Rights to New Glenn Greenwald Bookhttp://www.webpronews.com/edward-snowden-story-coming-to-silver-screen-as-sony-buys-rights-to-new-glenn-greenwald-book-2014-05/
Wed, 14 May 2014 18:34:17 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=358386One of the most compelling, and still unfolding stories in years will hit the silver screen in the coming years, as reporter Glenn Greenwald's just-published book, No Place to Hide: Edward Snowden, the NSA and the U. S. Surveillance State, ... Read More

]]>One of the most compelling, and still unfolding stories in years will hit the silver screen in the coming years, as reporter Glenn Greenwald's just-published book, No Place to Hide: Edward Snowden, the NSA and the U. S. Surveillance State, has been picked up by Sony Pictures.

"Edward Snowden's explosive revelations have raised important questions about the role of government in protecting its citizens and the balance between national security and personal freedom. We are extremely proud that Michael, Barbara and Glenn chose Sony to bring this riveting story to the big screen, and believe that Glenn's account of this incredible international event will make for a gripping and unforgettable film," said Doug Belgrad, President of Columbia Pictures.

It's been nearly a year since Greenwald wrote his first story on the NSA's secret spying initiatives, with the help of leaked documents from former contractor Edward Snowden. Since then, Snowden documents continue to be released, revealing more and more information on the extent of the surveillance state in the U.S. and abroad and sparking a national dialogue on the issue.

His book, No Place to Hide, focuses on not only the true story behind the Snowden leaks, but also Greenwald's analysis on the implications of the revelations. It was only released worldwide on Tuesday, and Sony has already announced its intentions to turn it into a film.

"I'm very happy to be working with Amy Pascal, Doug Belgrad, and the team at Sony Pictures Entertainment who have a successful track record of making thoughtful and nuanced true-life stories that audiences want to see. Growing up, I was heavily influenced by political films, and am excited about the opportunity to be part of a political film that will resonate with today's moviegoers," said Greenwald.

According to the New York Times, it took a while for the film to land with Sony Pictures, as many potential buyers were hesitant to take on such a hot-button topic, especially one where the story is far from over. Snowden is still living in Russia, and is wanted by the U.S. government.

On Tuesday, Greenwald also released over 100 new pages of Snowden documents.

]]>'Enemies of the Internet' List Now Features US Agency for the First Timehttp://www.webpronews.com/enemies-of-the-internet-list-now-features-us-agency-for-the-first-time-2014-03/
Tue, 18 Mar 2014 19:44:24 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=334250Operating behind its "wall of secrecy," the National Security Agency has been put on one watchdog's list of 'Enemies of the Internet.' "Identifying government units or agencies rather than entire governments as Enemies of the Internet allows us to draw ... Read More

]]>Operating behind its "wall of secrecy," the National Security Agency has been put on one watchdog's list of 'Enemies of the Internet.'

"Identifying government units or agencies rather than entire governments as Enemies of the Internet allows us to draw attention to the schizophrenic attitude towards online freedoms that prevails in in some countries. Three of the government bodies designated by Reporters Without Borders as Enemies of the Internet are located in democracies that have traditionally claimed to respect fundamental freedoms: the Centre for Development of Telematics in India, the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) in the United Kingdom, and the National Security Agency (NSA) in the United States," says the watchdog group Reporters Without Borders.

For the first time, the group's 2014 list of Internet Enemies includes a United States agency.

"The mass surveillance methods employed in these three countries, many of them exposed by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, are all the more intolerable because they will be used and indeed are already being used by authoritarians countries such as Iran, China, Turkmenistan, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain to justify their own violations of freedom of information. How will so-called democratic countries will able to press for the protection of journalists if they adopt the very practices they are criticizing authoritarian regimes for?" says the group.

]]>These Senators Are Not Happy With The NSA's Collection Of Webcam Imageshttp://www.webpronews.com/these-senators-are-not-happy-with-the-nsas-collection-of-webcam-images-2014-02/
http://www.webpronews.com/these-senators-are-not-happy-with-the-nsas-collection-of-webcam-images-2014-02/#commentsFri, 28 Feb 2014 19:45:53 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=326329On Thursday, The Guardian reported that the NSA had given legitimacy to all the conspiracy theorists who cover up the webcams on their laptops with the reveal of Optic Nerve. The program, carried out by both the NSA and Britain's ... Read More

]]>On Thursday, The Guardian reported that the NSA had given legitimacy to all the conspiracy theorists who cover up the webcams on their laptops with the reveal of Optic Nerve. The program, carried out by both the NSA and Britain's GCHQ, collected and stored images from the webcams of innocent users. If that wasn't enough, the report also revealed that the NSA was looking into intercepting video feeds from Xbox 360 Kinect users.

As is expected by now, a number of senators are very unhappy with this report.

Senators Ron Wyden, Mark Udall and Martin Heinrich issued a joint statement today condemning Optic Nerve. The three say the program shows "a breathtaking lack of respect for the privacy and civil liberties of law-abiding Americans."

Once again, the argument here is not that surveillance systems shouldn't exist. They should, and are helpful when targeted directly at wrongdoers. The senators feel, however, that programs like Optic Nerve largely overstep the boundaries that should be in place.

Here's the rest of their statement:

In recent decades, largely isolated national communications systems have been replaced by a single, globally interconnected communications network. While this has had incredibly positive benefits, it has also dramatically increased the likelihood of innocent Americans being swept up in intelligence collection nominally aimed at foreigners. It is becoming clearer and clearer that more needs to be done to ensure that “foreign” intelligence collection does not intrude unnecessarily on the rights of law-abiding people or needlessly undermine the competitiveness of America’s leading industries.

We commend Chairman Feinstein for her decision to conduct a comprehensive review of ongoing surveillance programs, and we plan to thoroughly investigate these most recent reports as that review goes forward. Any involvement of US agencies in the alleged activities reported today will need to be closely scrutinized.”

Despite their commendation, the senators should be wary of any review coming from Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein. She's proven time and time again that she's squarely on the side of expanded surveillance and has defended the NSA at every turn. Even her proposed bill would do nothing to stop the NSA's surveillance, but rather codify it in law while promising just a little more transparency in return.

So, what's next for Wyden and company? The best thing they can be doing is promoting Sen. Patrick Leahy's USA Freedom Act. The bill would put a stop to the NSA's widespread collection of Americans' phone records, reform the FISA court and fix other areas of the NSA's surveillance programs. It was referred to committee back in October of last year, but it's made no progress since then. Hopefully this will spur on senators to renew the fight for its passage.

]]>http://www.webpronews.com/these-senators-are-not-happy-with-the-nsas-collection-of-webcam-images-2014-02/feed/1FISA Court Approves Changes To The NSAhttp://www.webpronews.com/fisa-court-approves-changes-to-the-nsa-2014-02/
Fri, 07 Feb 2014 14:21:41 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=317314Since June of last year, the Obama administration has been on damage control in regards to the leaks from former NSA contractor Edward Snowden. In various speeches since then, the president has defended the surveillance programs while also promising to ... Read More

]]>Since June of last year, the Obama administration has been on damage control in regards to the leaks from former NSA contractor Edward Snowden. In various speeches since then, the president has defended the surveillance programs while also promising to reform some of its most controversial elements. Of course, any reform has to be approved by the FISA court and it finally did just that.

The Hill reports that the FISA court has recently approved President Obama's two reforms to how the NSA accesses the massive trove of Americans' cellphone data. The first would require the NSA to seek a court order before looking into its database of phone records. The second would limit the number of phone numbers the NSA could look at when chasing a target. Currently, the agency is allowed to look at numbers that are three steps away from the target, but it's now been changed to two.

While reform is certainly welcome, many feel that President Obama's suggestions don't go far enough in addressing the issue at hand. Many still feel that the NSA's collection of Americans' phone records goes too far. Even if the agency has to obtain a court order to access the database, civil liberty proponents will argue that it's not enough. Obama's Civil Liberties board agrees and has argued that it should be shut down.

While a shut down of the program is unlikely, the FISA court is at least trying to be a little more proactive than the government when it comes to transparency. The court told the government to work on declassifying both its reform request and the court's response. We'll see a heavily redacted version of it by February 17.

So, what's next for the NSA? In his speech, Obama ordered Attorney General Eric Holder to work with National Intelligence Director James Clapper in devising a way to take the NSA's database out of its hands. The most popular option seems to be giving the database to a private third party, but many feel that this approach would just lead to Americans' metadata being stolen by hackers considering the poor security employed by private entities in the U.S.

]]>The NYPD Is Reportedly Embracing Google Glasshttp://www.webpronews.com/the-nypd-is-reportedly-embracing-google-glass-2014-02/
Thu, 06 Feb 2014 19:32:44 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=317024As the legal battles between early Google Glass adopters and the law enforcement officials who can't stand the Glassholes heat up, the country's largest municipal police force is warming to the new tech. VentureBeat is reporting that the New York ... Read More

]]>As the legal battles between early Google Glass adopters and the law enforcement officials who can't stand the Glassholes heat up, the country's largest municipal police force is warming to the new tech.

VentureBeat is reporting that the New York Police Department is running their own little beta test program for Google Glass, equipping a handful of their officers with Google's much-hyped spectacles.

“We signed up, got a few pairs of the Google glasses, and we’re trying them out, seeing if they have any value in investigations, mostly for patrol purposes...We’re looking at them, you know, seeing how they work,” said a police source, who VentureBeat describes as a ranking NYC law enforcement official.

“We think it could help impact patrol operations in New York City. We shall see."

Apparently, this isn't some sort of partnership between Google and the NYPD. The Glass-strapped officers simply acquired their nerd specs the same way everyone else has so far - through the Google Glass explorer program.

Google made a point to mention that their Glass explorers come from all walks of life. So a few cops got their hands on Google Glass, and here we are.

If all of this police wearing cameras thing sounds a bit familiar, that's because some New York City cops are already being forced to wear cameras on them at all times. As a edict stemming from a recent ruling that called the city's "stop-and-frisk" policy unconstitutional, a judge ordered a one-year pilot program wherein some patrol units would wear video cameras on their person at all time. The program is set to be reevaluated after the year is up to determine whether or not it should be expanded.

I guess Google Glass is a bit sleeker than some dorky body camera.

Like I said before, Google Glass is currently walking a fine line in some states (including New York), where legislators are already putting the gears in motion to ban the technology inside motor vehicles. A California woman recently made headlines when she was given the country's first "driving while Google Glassing" ticket - a charge which she later fought in court and emerged victorious.

Expect some fierce debate about this development. On one hand, Google Glass could help to monitor police activity - maybe resulting in more accountability. Then again, it's just another person recording your every move - something likely to set the surveillance state activists on edge (and this time, it's a cop doing the street-level monitoring). I mean, dashcams are one thing, but this is a whole new animal. All we can say right now is that this sure is interesting.

]]>Introduce Your Child To The Surveillance State With The FiLIP Smart Watchhttp://www.webpronews.com/introduce-your-child-to-the-surveillance-state-with-the-filip-smart-watch-2014-01/
http://www.webpronews.com/introduce-your-child-to-the-surveillance-state-with-the-filip-smart-watch-2014-01/#commentsFri, 31 Jan 2014 16:48:43 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=314545Kids just love to scamper off into the nether when their parents aren't looking. Previously, the only way to prevent this was to either actually educate your children or slap a leash on them. Disturbingly, too many parents often choose ... Read More

]]>Kids just love to scamper off into the nether when their parents aren't looking. Previously, the only way to prevent this was to either actually educate your children or slap a leash on them. Disturbingly, too many parents often choose the latter. Well, they don't have to anymore as they can now trade that leash in for constant, pervasive electronic surveillance.

FiLIP, the wearable tracking device for children, is out today at AT&T stores nationwide. The device disguises itself as a colorful, playful watch that your children are too stupid to question. When worn, parents can track their child's location via an app on their smartphone and send them texts telling them to get home. Parents can also set up safe zones so the watch sends a[n] electric shock notification when the child leaves said safe zone.

“We’ve been extremely pleased with sales of FiLIP online and in AT&T’s flagship store in Chicago since we launched in November last year,” said Jonathan Peachey, CEO of Filip Technologies. “We know that many people want to see FiLIP and try out its features with their kids in-store before buying, and with this expanded availability they can do just that.”

AT&T seems to be a fan of the device and thinks it will be a hot seller. To prove it, they will give parents a $100 bill credit when they buy the device. The bill credit will come in handy as FiLIP costs $10 a month when adding it to your existing plan.

“FiLIP is an innovative form factor that is generating a lot of buzz and attention in the wearable space. We are excited to expand its distribution into our retail locations to make the product even more accessible to families,” said Chris Penrose, senior vice president, Emerging Devices, AT&T Mobility. “FiLIP has been a great addition to AT&T’s product lineup as a device designed specifically to improve family communication and provide parents peace of mind.”

FiLIP is available at AT&T stores across the nation today for $200. It's a great way to acclimate your children to the constant surveillance they'll face as adults.

]]>http://www.webpronews.com/introduce-your-child-to-the-surveillance-state-with-the-filip-smart-watch-2014-01/feed/1NSA Gets Its Very First Privacy Officerhttp://www.webpronews.com/nsa-gets-its-very-first-privacy-officer-2014-01/
Wed, 29 Jan 2014 19:44:48 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=313641The NSA has always been a controversial government agency as its actions are deemed to go too far at times. Even before the Snowden leaks, people were skeptical of the agency after it was revealed that its powers were abused ... Read More

]]>The NSA has always been a controversial government agency as its actions are deemed to go too far at times. Even before the Snowden leaks, people were skeptical of the agency after it was revealed that its powers were abused in the Watergate scandal. You'd think the agency would have somebody around to double check its privacy practices long before Snowden was around, but that was not the case.

Following an order from President Obama last year, the NSA this morning announced that it has appointed a new privacy and civil liberties officer - Rebecca Richards. Richards will be the first person to fill this role as it's an entirely new position within the agency. Once again, you'd think the agency that collects the communications of nearly every American would have a privacy officer, but this appointment just makes it more apparent than ever that the NSA really thought its programs would remain classified forever.

So, who is this Rebecca Richards? All we really know is that she was the Deputy Chief Privacy Officer at the Department of Homeland Security. She has also served as the agency's Senior Director of Privacy Compliance since 2004. In short, she knows her way around privacy issues.

NSA Chief General Keith Alexander released a statement saying that Richards' background with the DHS should serve the agency well:

"NSA continues to take positive actions to ensure we protect both civil liberties and national security," Gen. Alexander said. "After a rigorous and lengthy interview process, I've selected an expert whose background will bring additional perspectives and insight to our foreign intelligence activities. I'm confident that Ms. Richards is the right person with the right experience for the job. She will report directly to me and will advise me and our senior leadership team to ensure privacy and civil liberties considerations remain a vital driver for all our strategic decisions, particularly in the areas of technology and processes."

With its new privacy officer in tow, the NSA can now make strides towards restoring the nation's trust in its operations since the Snowden leaks began. It probably won't do much until Congress can get around to dismantling the bulk metadata collection program, but it's a start.

]]>Civil Liberties Board Says NSA Spying Is Illegalhttp://www.webpronews.com/civil-liberties-board-says-nsa-spying-is-illegal-2014-01/
Thu, 23 Jan 2014 21:23:54 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=311425Last week, President Obama announced a number of reforms to how the NSA conducts its business. Chief among those reforms was changing how the agency collects bulk cellphone metadata. Some felt that the program should be ended immediately though, and ... Read More

]]>Last week, President Obama announced a number of reforms to how the NSA conducts its business. Chief among those reforms was changing how the agency collects bulk cellphone metadata. Some felt that the program should be ended immediately though, and the President's own civil liberties board couldn't agree more.

The Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board published a 238-page document today detailing their opinion on the NSA's collection of bulk telephone metadata. In stark contrast to just about everybody else in the executive branch, the board concluded in a 3-2 decision that it is illegal and should be ended immediately.

So, how did the Board come about to this conclusion? In the executive summary of the document, the board points out that Section 215 of the Patriot Act only allows "the FBI to acquire records that a business has in its possession as part of an FBI investigation, when those records are relevant to the investigation." The current interpretation of Section 215 that allows the NSA to collect the phone records of every America "bears almost no resemblance to that description," according to the board.

The Board then breaks down how the NSA's actions goes beyond what Section 215 allows in four parts:

First, the telephone records acquired under the program have no connection to any specific FBI investigation at the time of their collection. Second, because the records are collected in bulk - potentially encompassing all telephone calling records across the nation - they cannot be regarded as "relevant" to any FBI investigation as required by the statute without redefining the world relevant in a manner that is circular, unlimited in scope, and out of step with the case law from analogous legal contexts involving the production of records. Third, the program operates by putting telephone companies under an obligation to furnish new calling records on a daily basis as they are generated (instead of turning over records already in their possession) - an approach lacking foundation in the statute and one that is inconsistent with FISA as a whole. Fourth, the statute permits only the FBI to obtain items for use in its investigation; it does not authorize the NSA to collect anything.

If that wasn't enough, the Board also says that Section 215 violates the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, or ECPA.

"In addition, we conclude that the program violates the Electronic Communications Privacy Act. That statute prohibits telephone companies from sharing consumer records with the government except in response to specific enumerated circumstances, which do not include Section 215 orders."

Oh, but the trashing of Section 215 doesn't stop there. A bit further into the summary, the Board says that the common defense of the bulk metadata collection program (i.e. it stops terrorism) doesn't hold up in the face of reality:

"...we conclude that the Section 215 program has shown minimal value in safeguarding the nation from terrorism. Based on information provided to the Board, including classified briefings and documentation, we have not identified a single instance involving a threat to the United States in which the program made a concrete difference in the outcome of a counterterrorism investigation. Moreover, we are aware of no instance in which the program directly contributed to the discovery of a previously unknown terrorist plot or the disruption of a terrorist attack. And we believe that in only one instance over the past seven years has the program arguably contributed to the identification of an unknown terrorism suspect. Even in that case, the suspect was not involved in planning a terrorist attack and there is reason to believe that the FBI may have discovered him without the contribution of the NSA's program."

Despite saying that it has never directly contributed to the foiling of a terrorist plot, the Board plays devil's advocate for a bit by saying that the bulk metadata collection program may help investigators in two ways. The first is that the program may offer "additional leads regarding the contacts of terrorism suspects already known to investigators. The second "can help investigators confirm suspicions about the target of an inquiry." Despite this, the Board feels that the bulk metadata collection program "largely duplicates the FBI's own information gathering efforts." In other words, it's redundant and contributes nothing of value.

As for the privacy of Americans, the Board finds that the collection of metadata "has a significant and detrimental effect on individual privacy." It fears that this could lead to "mission creep" or the use of personal information to "harass, blackmail, or intimidate" individuals or groups.

In a similar vein, the Board feels that the bulk metadata collection program will have a "chilling effect on the free exercise of speech and association." In other words, the program "hinders the ability of advocacy organizations to communicate confidentiality with members, donors, legislators, whistleblowers, members of the public, and others."

Moving onto the FISA court, the Board concludes that all hearings are stacked in the government favor due to non-governmental parties not being allowed to testify before said court. That's why the Board suggests three specific reforms to the FISA court that would allow the public to challenge the government on surveillance matters:

Creation of a panel of private attorneys, Special Advocates, who can be brought into cases involving novel and significant issues by FISA court judges.

Development of a process facilitating appellate review of such decisions.

Providing increased opportunity for the FISC to receive technical assistance and legal input from outside parties.

Finally, the Board takes on the issue of transparency. As you would expect, it acknowledges the government's position that there should be a line between secrecy and transparency. The board diverges, however, in its opinion that the government is doing a pretty bad job of keeping its electorate informed. Its main argument is that it's possible to allow public debate on classified programs while still keeping them classified. In other words, the government should at least acknowledge the existence of its surveillance programs and collect feedback from the public.

So, where do we go from here? Well, the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board doesn't really hold any power. They report directly to the President and are a part of the executive branch, but their opinion is just one of many. The President already laid out his opinion on the matter last week by stating that the bulk data collection should continue.

Despite its lack of power, the Board's recommendations will add some much needed ammunition to the arguments of those who are opposed to the NSA. Sen. Patrick Leahy and others have argued for the past few months that the bulk data collection program needs to end and this report will only bolster those arguments.

Real reform may not come for a while, but the Board's recommendations is the first step in a road that may very well lead to an America that's not constantly surveilled by the very people sworn to protect its citizens.

]]>Majority Of Americans Don't Like What The NSA Is Doinghttp://www.webpronews.com/majority-of-americans-dont-like-what-the-nsa-is-doing-2014-01/
Tue, 21 Jan 2014 15:09:53 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=310158Since June of last year, Americans have learned more and more about the secret practices employed by the NSA due to leaks from former NSA contractor Edward Snowden. During that time, countless polls have been conducted as a way to ... Read More

]]>Since June of last year, Americans have learned more and more about the secret practices employed by the NSA due to leaks from former NSA contractor Edward Snowden. During that time, countless polls have been conducted as a way to see how Americans feel about the NSA's spy tactics. While a large number of Americans don't like what the agency is doing, a majority haven't felt that way until now.

The Pew Research Center and USA Today conducted a survey of 1,504 American adults and found that 53 percent disapprove of the NSA's "collection of telephone and Internet data as part of anti-terrorism efforts" while only 40 percent of Americans approve of the agency's programs. The new numbers are a major shift from the 50 percent that approved of the programs when they were first leaked back in June.

As for the current limits on what data the NSA can collect, 48 percent of Americans feel they are not adequate while 41 percent feel they are. When looking at political parties, 39 percent of Republicans, 38 percent of Independents and 48 percent of Democrats feel that the limits are adequate.

Perhaps the most depressing statistic from this latest poll is the number of people aware of President Obama's speech on Friday in which he detailed his plans to reform the NSA. The poll found that 50 percent of Americans had not heard anything about the proposed reforms while 49 percent heard a little or a lot.

Those that did hear about the proposed changes aren't all that confident they will lead to any significant reform though. Out of those who know about the proposed reforms, only 21 percent feel they will increase privacy protections while a whopping 73 percent feel they won't make much of a difference.

When it comes to Edward Snowden, Americans are split pretty much right down the middle. The poll found that 45 percent of Americans believe Snowden served the public interest with the leaks while 43 percent believe he harmed the public interest. Interestingly enough, the number of people who believe he served the public interest increases with the amount of education the person has received. Those with some college under their belt support Snowden the most with 51 percent believing his actions served the public interest while 38 percent of those who have only graduated high school believe he served the public interest.

So, how has this all affected Obama's job performance ratings? Surprisingly, there hasn't been much of a change from last month with 49 percent of Americans disapproving of his performance while 43 percent approve. The last time there's been a major change in approval rating was in November when 53 percent of Americans disapproved of Obama's job performance while 41 percent approved.

]]>Video Surveillance Market Continues to Expandhttp://www.webpronews.com/video-surveillance-market-continues-to-expand-2014-01/
Mon, 20 Jan 2014 15:33:50 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=309745With the numerous disclosures from former NSA employee Edward Snowden that were released in 2013, a new light has been shined on a shadowy world of information gathering and government surveillance. While world governments scramble to appease their citizens and ... Read More

]]>With the numerous disclosures from former NSA employee Edward Snowden that were released in 2013, a new light has been shined on a shadowy world of information gathering and government surveillance. While world governments scramble to appease their citizens and other government leaders, it seems that the security industry will simply keep running business as usual.

Market research firm IHS today released a report showing that the video surveillance market is expected to increase by at least 12% in the coming year. The firm expects sales of video surveillance equipment to hit $15.9 billion, mostly on sales to national and local governments.

“During the past decade the video surveillance equipment market has grown quickly, expanding at a double-digit rate in most years,” said Niall Jenkins, research manager for video surveillance and security services at IHS. “This year will be no exception, with growth led by strong demand for fixed-dome and 180/360-degree network camera products. As for vertical markets, the city surveillance and utility/energy sectors will drive the biggest increases in sales.”

Other predictions for the video surveillance market found in the IHS report read like a list of the things government-overreach activists have been warning about for years. Police are expected to increasingly use crowd-sourced video surveillance data and companies are expected to collaborate more with police on the sharing of their own live video surveillance. IHS also believes that thermal imaging will catch on during 2014, with consumer thermal imaging products beginning to appear.

]]>Obama To Outline NSA Reforms Next Weekhttp://www.webpronews.com/obama-to-outline-nsa-reforms-next-week-2014-01/
Fri, 10 Jan 2014 20:36:50 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=304929Shortly after Edward Snowden leaked details regarding the NSA's surveillance practices, President Obama announced that he would put together a review panel that would recommend changes to how the agency conducts its surveillance operations. Now that that report is in ... Read More

]]>Shortly after Edward Snowden leaked details regarding the NSA's surveillance practices, President Obama announced that he would put together a review panel that would recommend changes to how the agency conducts its surveillance operations. Now that that report is in the hands of the president, he's ready to act upon those recommendations.

The White House announced today that President Obama will announce a number of NSA reforms on January 17. These reforms will reportedly reign in collection efforts as well as provide additional oversight to the programs. There may be more changes made as the review panel handed a list of 46 recommendations to the president.

While we may not know the specifics, The Hill says that early reports have indicated that Obama will call for an end of the NSA's bulk collection of Americans' phone metadata. Instead, the government will have private companies or a third party store this information. From there, the NSA will have to receive a court order to obtain certain metadata.

In other words, your phone metadata will still be collected. This is a small improvement, however, as the NSA will no longer have unfettered access to said data. Instead, they will have to submit a request to look at data. Even then, they will only be able to look at specific data instead of being able to look through all of it.

The second reform will reportedly call for more oversight of the National Intelligence Priorities Framework. This particular framework sets the intelligence community's priorities in regards to surveillance targets, including foreign heads of state. As you may recall, the U.S. found itself in a bit of hot water late last year after it was revealed the NSA spied on German Chancellor Angela Merkel for no apparent reason.

Beyond the above two reforms, we have no idea what Obama will announce next Friday. Heck, the above two recommendations may not even come to fruition next week as the intelligence community may very well convince Obama to change his mind before then.

]]>The NSA Wants To Build A Quantum Computerhttp://www.webpronews.com/the-nsa-wants-to-build-a-quantum-computer-2014-01/
Fri, 03 Jan 2014 14:59:44 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=300654Quantum computing is the next big thing, or at least it is in the eyes of futurists and scientists. The proposed technology promises faster compute speeds beyond anything currently available. The crazy thing is that we're almost there, and that's ... Read More

]]>Quantum computing is the next big thing, or at least it is in the eyes of futurists and scientists. The proposed technology promises faster compute speeds beyond anything currently available. The crazy thing is that we're almost there, and that's mostly a good thing. The only concern is that quantum computing may be used for purposes that don't benefit mankind in the slightest, and of course the NSA is at the forefront of that endeavor.

The Washington Post reports that the NSA is working on a quantum computer that would be able to crack nearly every type of encryption currently available. The plans, which were revealed in documents leaked by Edward Snowden, detail a $79.7 million research program dedicated to the creation of a quantum computer.

So, what is a quantum computer? In short, a quantum computer is a computing machine that's built on the theory of quantum mechanics. As the Washington Post explains, a quantum computer is unlike a traditional computer in that it communicates using quantum bits which can exist as zeroes and ones simultaneously. Theoretically, this would allow a computer to reach a solution much more quickly.

As you can imagine, a quantum computer would be a major benefit to nearly everyone, including the NSA. It's already been shown that the NSA broke the encryption protocols employed by the big guys at Google and Yahoo. Upon that revelation, both companies moved to employnew encryption methods that could take the NSA months to crack. With a quantum computer, they could theoretically reduce the time needed to crack new encryption methods to just a few weeks.

A quantum computer in the hands of the NSA is a pretty scary thought, but it's nowhere near completion yet. The leaked documents show that the agency is making steady progress, but its own efforts are only matching the pace seen in public quantum computing projects in Europe. Barring a significant breakthrough, those quantum computers are still years away, and the NSA's own quantum computer is likely still just in the experimental stage at this point.

Regardless, the mere fact that the NSA is building a quantum computer is cause for concern. Quantum computers will one day benefit humanity in many ways, but its unfortunate that the technology might also be abused.

]]>NSA Actions Ruled Legal by Federal Judgehttp://www.webpronews.com/nsa-actions-ruled-legal-by-federal-judge-2013-12/
Fri, 27 Dec 2013 18:58:20 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=298055On Friday, New York federal judge William H. Pauley III ruled that the surveillance and collection activities overseen by the NSA are legal, dismissing a case brought against the Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, by the ACLU. In his ... Read More

]]>On Friday, New York federal judge William H. Pauley III ruled that the surveillance and collection activities overseen by the NSA are legal, dismissing a case brought against the Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, by the ACLU.

In his 53 page ruling, Pauley stated, “The question for this court is whether the government’s bulk telephony metadata program is lawful. This court finds it is. But the question of whether that program should be conducted is for the other two coordinate branches of government to decide.”

In order to defend the lawfulness of the NSA surveillance program, Pauley pointed to the intent behind the program following its creation after the events of 9/11: "The government learned from its mistake and adapted to confront a new enemy: a terror network capable of orchestrating attacks across the world. It launched a number of counter-measures, including a bulk telephony metadata collection program — a wide net that could find and isolate gossamer contacts among suspected terrorists in an ocean of seemingly disconnected data."

Elaborating on the importance of the NSA surveillance program due to the one previous terrorist attack from al-Qaeda, Pauley stated that the mass phone metadata collection “significantly increases the NSA’s capability to detect the faintest patterns left behind by individuals affiliated with foreign terrorist organizations. Armed with all the metadata, NSA can draw connections it might otherwise never be able to find.”

The decision by Pauley runs counter to the decision reached by fellow federal judge in D.C., Judge Richard Leon. On December 16th, Judge Leon ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, saying that the actions of the NSA were most likely unconstitutional, placing an injunction against the NSA from spying on his plaintiffs. The injunction allows the federal government to appeal Leon's ruling.

Pauley's decision also runs counter to the findings of a recent White House panel which investigated the effectiveness of the NSA's actions. Following the recent decision by Judge Leon and general unrest from the public concerning the NSA's surveillance program, President Obama created a panel to determine what changes, if any, should be made to the NSA's collection practices.

In determining how effective the NSA had been in preventing terrorist attacks from occurring, the panel found no instances in which the NSA had thwarted a terrorist attempt through the collection of phone metadata.

“It was, ‘Huh, hello? What are we doing here?’” opined Geoffrey Stone, a law professor at the University of Chicago.

Following the results of the research, the panel suggested that the NSA surveillance program should be ended to protect the personal security and privacy of the American people.

In his ruling, however, Judge Pauley also commented on the potential violation of the 4th Amendment, which protects against unlawful searches and seizures, stating that protection against searches and seizures "is fundamental, but not absolute."

"Every day, people voluntarily surrender personal and seemingly-private information to transnational corporations, which exploit that data for profit. Few think twice about it, even though it is far more intrusive than bulk telephony metadata collection," ruled Pauley.

This decision is a big step towards legality for the NSA, an organization that has been under increasing fire, lately, due to its perceived intrusiveness and ineffectiveness. However, the court case in D.C. is still awaiting an appeal from the federal government. Most likely, Judge Leon will still rule against the NSA program, leaving the agency dead in the water, especially following the results of the White House investigative panel. While the decision by Judge Pauley is positive for the NSA, it may have been only a temporary life preserver.

]]>NSA Court Decision Gets The NMA Treatmenthttp://www.webpronews.com/nsa-court-decision-gets-the-nma-treatment-2013-12/
Tue, 17 Dec 2013 16:53:21 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=294343Yesterday, a federal judge in Washington D.C. ruled that the NSA's mass collection of phone records was unconstitutional under the Fourth Amendment. The ruling was certainly welcome, but it doesn't actually put an end to the NSA's surveillance program. We'll ... Read More

]]>Yesterday, a federal judge in Washington D.C. ruled that the NSA's mass collection of phone records was unconstitutional under the Fourth Amendment. The ruling was certainly welcome, but it doesn't actually put an end to the NSA's surveillance program. We'll have to wait until the case goes to the Appeals Court.

In the meantime, our favorite Taiwanese animators over at NMA have thrown together a little short about yesterday's ruling. The short gives a brief history of the past year in leaks from Edward Snowden and Wired Magazine and how the Obama administration has tried to paint its programs as legal under precedents set during the 80s.

While this ruling doesn't really mean anything for now, it's still a symbolic victory for the people who have been fighting against the NSA's surveillance powers for years now. Those same people might have another victory on their hands later this week when Obama meets with tech giants to discuss the NSA and its spying powers. If the President can't convince these companies over to his side, he and those who support the NSA will have some powerful opponents in the coming years.

]]>Santa Is Apparently Working For The NSAhttp://www.webpronews.com/santa-is-apparently-working-for-the-nsa-2013-12/
Thu, 12 Dec 2013 21:38:31 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=292364Santa Claus is the ultimate snoop. Every year, he spies on every one of us and puts us on a naughty or nice list. It only makes sense then that the NSA would want to recruit him for some of ... Read More

]]>Santa Claus is the ultimate snoop. Every year, he spies on every one of us and puts us on a naughty or nice list. It only makes sense then that the NSA would want to recruit him for some of their own spying programs.

In this new promo video from the ACLU, they had three sunglasses-wearing Santas walk around New York City and spy on its residents. It's pretty clear that everybody is a little creeped out and offended. You probably would be too if a fat red guy tried to take pictures of your phone or laptop displays.

It may be a bit silly, but the ACLU makes an excellent point. We don't tolerate people spying on us in person, so why do a large number of Americans not care about what the NSA is doing in the digital world? It's all a little disconcerting and the ACLU hopes this draws people's attention to the serious threat our civil liberties face if the NSA is left to their own devices.

Also, you just gotta love that Edward Snowden and Glenn Greenwald are on Santa's naughty list. Apparently, the big guy doesn't like it when people tell the truth.

]]>Internet Giants Urge U.S. To Reform Government Surveillancehttp://www.webpronews.com/internet-giants-urge-u-s-to-reform-government-surveillance-2013-12/
Mon, 09 Dec 2013 14:20:28 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=290958AOL, Apple, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Twitter and Yahoo have joined together to urge the U.S. government to reform government surveillance laws and practices. The companies have set up a website called Reform Government Surveillance, where they outline five principles, ... Read More

]]>AOL, Apple, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Twitter and Yahoo have joined together to urge the U.S. government to reform government surveillance laws and practices.

The companies have set up a website called Reform Government Surveillance, where they outline five principles, and offer commentary from the CEOs of each company (Brad Smith, General Counsel and EVP, Legal and Corporate Affairs speaks up for Microsoft, which is currently between CEOs).

Principles discussed include limiting governments' authority to collect users' info, oversight and accountability, transparency about government demands, respecting the free flow of info, and avoiding conflicts among governments.

"Reports about government surveillance have shown there is a real need for greater disclosure and new limits on how governments collect information," says Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. "The US government should take this opportunity to lead this reform effort and make things right."

“The security of users’ data is critical, which is why we’ve invested so much in encryption and fight for transparency around government requests for information," says Google CEO Larry Page. "This is undermined by the apparent wholesale collection of data, in secret and without independent oversight, by many governments around the world. It’s time for reform and we urge the US government to lead the way.”

Google's Transparency Report is available here. It was updated last month, showing that government requests for user information have doubled over the past three years.

Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer says, “Protecting the privacy of our users is incredibly important to Yahoo. Recent revelations about government surveillance activities have shaken the trust of our users, and it is time for the United States government to act to restore the confidence of citizens around the world. Today we join our colleagues in the tech industry calling on the United States Congress to change surveillance laws in order to ensure transparency and accountability for government actions.”

Like Facebook and Google, Yahoo has had its own share of privacy concerns from users in recent months. For example, the company implemented an email address recycling program, and new account holders have been getting sensitive emails meant for previous account holders. Yahoo has maintained that this has only happened to a small number of users.

To its credit, the company recently announced that all Yahoo products will be encrypted by the end of Q1.

The companies have put together an open letter to President Obama and Congress, which is included on the site. We've also included it below:

Dear Mr. President and Members of Congress,

We understand that governments have a duty to protect their citizens. But this summer’s revelations highlighted the urgent need to reform government surveillance practices worldwide. The balance in many countries has tipped too far in favor of the state and away from the rights of the individual — rights that are enshrined in our Constitution. This undermines the freedoms we all cherish. It’s time for a change.

For our part, we are focused on keeping users’ data secure — deploying the latest encryption technology to prevent unauthorized surveillance on our networks and by pushing back on government requests to ensure that they are legal and reasonable in scope.

We urge the US to take the lead and make reforms that ensure that government surveillance efforts are clearly restricted by law, proportionate to the risks, transparent and subject to independent oversight. To see the full set of principles we support, visit ReformGovernmentSurveillance.com

]]>Latest NSA Leak Finds Agency Spied On Porn Habits Of "Radicalizers"http://www.webpronews.com/latest-nsa-leak-finds-agency-spied-on-porn-habits-of-radicalizers-2013-11/
Wed, 27 Nov 2013 14:29:45 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=286832Since June, we've learned that the NSA spies on just about everything we do in the name of stopping terrorism. As it turns out, the agency is even spying on our porn habits because it might just stop terrorists. Fresh ... Read More

]]>Since June, we've learned that the NSA spies on just about everything we do in the name of stopping terrorism. As it turns out, the agency is even spying on our porn habits because it might just stop terrorists.

Fresh from his departure from The Guardian, Glenn Greenwald is now reporting on the latest Snowden leak from The Huffington Post. The latest revelation finds that the NSA is using its ability to snoop through browser histories to find ways to discredit those they consider "radicalizers." Of course, that includes a person's porn browsing history.

In the leaked document, the NSA says that it looks for porn habits, among other "vulnerabilities," as they help to discredit those who speak out against the U.S. Here's a list of vulnerabilities that the NSA looks for:

Using a portion of the donations they are receiving from the susceptible pool to defray their own personal expenses

Charging an exorbitant amount of money for their speaking fees and being singularly attracted by opportunities to increase their stature

Being known to base their public messaging on questionable sources or using language that is contradictory in nature, leaving them open to credibility challenges

Despite describing the vices of the modern American evangelist, the NSA says these are merely some of the tools among many that they use to combat terrorism. What's interesting, however, is that the six targets listed in the document have no actual ties to terrorism. They're merely public persons that have views that could be considered anti-American, such as being of the opinion that America was behind the 9/11 attacks. While such views can certainly be criticized, it seems a little much to collect dossiers on their private Web browsing habits in an attempt to discredit them in the name of stopping terrorism.

While there's no evidence that the NSA has used this tactic on domestic targets, ACLU Deputy Legal Director, Jameel Jaffer, says that shouldn't make Americans any less wary about its existence:

"It's important to remember that the NSA’s surveillance activities are anything but narrowly focused -- the agency is collecting massive amounts of sensitive information about virtually everyone. Wherever you are, the NSA's databases store information about your political views, your medical history, your intimate relationships and your activities online. The NSA says this personal information won't be abused, but these documents show that the NSA probably defines 'abuse' very narrowly."

While the government's tactic of discrediting opponents is nothing new, there needs to be strict limitations on its use. Revealing that a terrorist leader is into kinky porn could severely demoralize his movement, but the same shouldn't be used against those calling for peaceful change in this country. After all, we don't want a repeat of Hoover's administration.

]]>These Google Engineers Are Pretty Angry With The NSAhttp://www.webpronews.com/these-google-engineers-are-pretty-angry-with-the-nsa-2013-11/
Wed, 06 Nov 2013 19:45:00 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=278824Last week, it was revealed that the NSA and Britain's GCHQ collaborated on a program called MUSCULAR. In short, it would break into the data links that connect Google's data servers and pilfer information without the company knowing about it. ... Read More

]]>Last week, it was revealed that the NSA and Britain's GCHQ collaborated on a program called MUSCULAR. In short, it would break into the data links that connect Google's data servers and pilfer information without the company knowing about it. As you would expect, Google was pretty angry, and its engineers took it personally.

When the program was first revealed, Googler Brandon Downey said the news made him "terribly sad." He then went on to compare the NSA to an evil entity in The Lord of the Rings trilogy that razes the Shire while Frodo is off destroying the one ring. If that makes no sense, you should read the whole post:

Another Googler in the UK, Mike Hearn followed up Downey's post by revealing that he worked on the anti-hacking system that Google employs to keep criminals out of its data centers. That very same hacking system was detailed in the leaked NSA documents. He laments over the fact that the NSA will never be forced to stand trial for what it has done, and says that all he can do to protect users from government intrusion is to build better security for its data centers.

Once again, it's probably best if you read the whole thing:

While other Googlers may not publicly state their stance regarding the NSA, many probably feel the same way. After all, government spying not only harms their image among users, but it also may have a negative effect on Google's ability to cater foreign businesses.

]]>Senate Intelligence Panel Approves NSA Bill That Improves Transparency And Not Much Elsehttp://www.webpronews.com/senate-intelligence-panel-approves-bill-that-improves-transparency-and-not-much-else-2013-11/
Fri, 01 Nov 2013 14:34:40 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=277533Ever since the Snowden leaks revealed that the NSA was collecting Americans' phone records en masse, Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein has been the agency's number one cheerleader. She has consistently argued that the collection of phone records was ... Read More

]]>Ever since the Snowden leaks revealed that the NSA was collecting Americans' phone records en masse, Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein has been the agency's number one cheerleader. She has consistently argued that the collection of phone records was legal and even proposed a bill that would make that collection legal under law instead of just a court decision. Now she's one step closer to realizing her dream of an NSA that's fully protected by the law.

The Hill reports that the Senate Intelligence Committee has passed Feinstein's bill - the FISA Improvements Act - in a 11-4 vote. The bill would improve transparency regarding the NSA and the FISA court, but not much else. It would also prohibit the NSA from using its vast collection of phone numbers for anything other than terrorism, but it doesn't change the fact that the agency would still have access to every Americans' phone records. In short, Feinstein's bill covers the NSA's ass, but doesn't wipe it.

In its defense, Feinstein said that she and her committee did everything they could to make the NSA more trustworthy:

“We’ve tried very hard to put together a bipartisan bill that improves transparency, improves privacy, has more public reporting, has more checks and we’ve done it to the best we can. And we’ve got a good solid two-thirds vote of the committee.”

As you would expect, nobody is really buying it. One of the four who voted agains it - Sen. Mark Udall - said that the Committee's bill "does not go far enough to address the NSA's overreaching domestic surveillance programs." He went on further to say that the agency "needs fundamental reform - not incidental changes."

Outside of the Committee, there's already a movement to pass a more robust bill in the Senate that would not only knock the NSA down a peg, but it would also reform the FISA court in some important ways. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy introduced the USA FREEDOM Act earlier this week to end the NSA's bulk collection of Americans' phone records as well as put strict limits on the agency's collection of Internet records under Section 702 of the FISA Amendments Act.

Besides Leahy and his 16 co-sponsors in the Senate, Sen. Ron Wyden has also come forward saying that he'll do everything in his power to stop what he calls "skin deep" reforms. In other words, he wants to make sure that bills like Feinstein's are never passed. Interestingly enough, however, Wyden was not one of the co-sponsors on Leahy's bill. It's hard to say why he hasn't thrown his name in to support the USA FREEDOM Act, but it's likely that he'll speak up about it soon.

In the end, what's done is done. Feinstein managed to get her bill approved by the Committee she oversees. That was the easy part though. The hard part is just beginning as she now has to contend with a full Congress that doesn't very much appreciate what the NSA has been doing.

]]>Latest Snowden Leak Reveals How The NSA Hacks Googlehttp://www.webpronews.com/latest-snowden-leak-reveals-how-the-nsa-hacks-google-2013-10/
Wed, 30 Oct 2013 19:59:41 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=276988One of the very first Snowden leaks alerted the world to the existence of PRISM - a program where the NSA is given access to the servers of major tech companies like Google, Yahoo and more. That particular program is ... Read More

]]>One of the very first Snowden leaks alerted the world to the existence of PRISM - a program where the NSA is given access to the servers of major tech companies like Google, Yahoo and more. That particular program is supposedly operated with the consent of these companies, but a new leak suggests that the agency is also going behind these companies' backs.

The latest Snowden leak, as reported by The Washington Post, shines light on a program called MUSCULAR. In short, it's a joint effort between the NSA and Britain's GCHQ to break into and take information from Google's and Yahoo's servers.

What kind of information can the NSA access through this? According to the report, the agency gathered email metadata alongside other content, like audio and video. In fact, the leaked report said that the NSA gathered over 181 million records from Google's and Yahoo's servers in only 30 days.

So, how is any of this legal? Collecting Americans' information from the servers of tech companies is illegal, even for the NSA. According to the report, the NSA gets away this by collecting information from Google's and Yahoo's overseas servers. This loophole allows the agency to remain on the right side of the law as this collection is carried out through Executive Order 12333 - an executive order signed by former President Ronald Reagan in 1981.

Google and Yahoo are both understandably angry about this latest revelation, and Google says that it will continue to implement tighter encryption between the data links that connect its servers. By doing so, Google will be able to slow down, or even stop, the NSA from accessing its servers. As for Yahoo, there's been no indication yet regarding whether or not the company is moving to encrypt the data links between its servers.

]]>Sen. Patrick Leahy Officially Introduces The USA FREEDOM Act In The Senatehttp://www.webpronews.com/sen-patrick-leahy-officially-introduces-the-usa-freedom-act-in-the-senate-2013-10/
Tue, 29 Oct 2013 20:36:56 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=276630Earlier this month, Sen. Patrick Leahy began circulating a piece of legislation called The USA FREEDOM Act. We knew what the legislation would do, but we didn't know any of the specifics until today. The Hill reports that Sen. Leahy ... Read More

The Hill reports that Sen. Leahy has finally introduced The USA FREEDOM Act, or the Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ending Eavesdropping, Dragnet-collection, and Online Monitoring Act, into the Senate this afternoon. The legislation, which enjoys 16 co-sponsors in the Senate, clocks in at 118 pages and seeks to reform both the NSA and the FISA court. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, otherwise known as the congressman who wrote the original Patriot Act, has also introduced sister legislation in the House with more than 70 co-sponsors.

“The government surveillance programs conducted under the Foreign Surveillance Intelligence Act are far broader than the American people previously understood. It is time for serious and meaningful reforms so we can restore confidence in our intelligence community,” Leahy said. “Modest transparency and oversight provisions are not enough. We need real reform, which is why I join today with Congressman Sensenbrenner, and bipartisan coalitions in both the Senate and House, to introduce the USA FREEDOM Act.”

So, what exactly does the USA FREEDOM Act do? First and foremost, it ends the bulk collection of Americans' phone records under Section 215 of the Patriot Act. Currently, the NSA uses an interpretation of Section 215 handed down by the FISA court that allows it to indiscriminately collect Americans' phone records.

Section 215 is not the only thing that needs reform and Leahy knows it. His legislation would also reform Section 702 of the FISA Amendments Act - a law that allows the NSA to collect Americans' Internet communications without a warrant. Under the USA FREEDOM Act, there will be stricter limits placed on the kind of online communications that can be collected, and it will also require the NSA to "obtain a court order prior to conducting "back door" searches looking for the communications of U.S. persons in databases collected without a warrant under Section 702."

The legislation would also improve oversight and transparency by reforming two key components of the intelligence community - the FISA court and data request reporting. For the former, the legislation would appoint a public privacy advocate that would argue in favor of pro-privacy in front of the FISA court. As for the latter, the legislation would permit companies to publish the number of data requests they receive from the federal government. It would also require the government to report these numbers itself.

Finally, the USA FREEDOM Act would implement new sunset dates for both the FISA Amendments Act and National Security Letters to bring their expiration in line with the 2015 sunset date for Section 215. The reasoning is that Leahy believes having all three sunset in the same year will force Congress and the executive branch to address every part of the NSA and FISA in one go instead of having years between them.

“Following 9/11, the USA PATRIOT Act passed the judiciary committees with overwhelming bipartisan support. The bill has helped keep Americans safe by ensuring information is shared among those responsible for defending our country and by enhancing the tools the intelligence community needs to identify and track terrorists,” Sensenbrenner said. “But somewhere along the way, the balance between security and privacy was lost. It’s now time for the judiciary committees to again come together in a bipartisan fashion to ensure the law is properly interpreted, past abuses are not repeated and American liberties are protected. Washington must regain Americans’ trust in their government. The USA FREEDOM Act is an essential first step. I would like to thank Congressmen Conyers and Amash, Congresswoman Lofgren, Chairman Issa and others for working with us to draft this important legislation and encourage all my colleagues to support it.”

Now, before you go off and petition your local lawmakers to pass this law, you might want to check out Sen. Patrick Leahy's statement on his bill. It's an excellently written piece on how he feels about the NSA and what he hopes the legislation will accomplish.

]]>White House Suggests More NSA Reforms In Wake Of Recent Leakshttp://www.webpronews.com/white-house-suggests-more-nsa-reforms-in-wake-of-recent-leaks-2013-10/
Mon, 28 Oct 2013 18:54:23 +0000http://www.webpronews.com/?p=276141Last week, The Guardian reported that the NSA was eavesdropping on 35 world leaders, including US allies. As you can imagine, this didn't sit well with those being spied on, while reports emerged that the spying programs were stopped after ... Read More

]]>Last week, The Guardian reported that the NSA was eavesdropping on 35 world leaders, including US allies. As you can imagine, this didn't sit well with those being spied on, while reports emerged that the spying programs were stopped after the president learned of their existence. Now the Obama administration says it may apply additional measures to reign in the NSA.

RT reports that White House press secretary Jay Carney announced that the Obama administration will be taking an even harder look at NSA surveillance programs after it was revealed that the agency was spying on world leaders:

“There are a number of efforts underway that are designed to increase transparency, to work with Congress to look at reform to the Patriot Act [and] to look at ways we can increase oversight and increase constraint on the authorities provided by these programs.”

Despite saying that the White House would "work with Congress to look at reform to the Patriot Act," Carney continued to emphasize that all the powers given to the NSA under the FISA court's interpretation of Section 215 of the Patriot Act are entirely legal. If anything, the Obama administration will likely look to the reform bills being pushed by Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers. Both call for increased transparency, but not much else. In fact, both join the administration in saying that the bulk collection of Americans' phone records is legal.

To fight against such ineffective reform, Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy and original Patriot Act author Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner will introduce the USA Freedom Act in both the Senate and House. The bill not only ends the bulk collection of Americans' phone records under Section 215, but it also reforms the FISA court to allow a public advocate to argue against government interests. The bill will allow private companies to publish the number of data requests they receive as well.

Of course, the White House could very well be serious about implementing serious reform. Carney said that the administration is continuing its review of these programs, and that it will "look at how we can better balance our security needs and the security needs of our allies against the real privacy concerns that we all share."